Bro Vick is on point..........Brothers who only have political aspirations in Masonry, and think about how good they look in their regalia, tend to lose focus on what Masonry really SHOULD BE to a Man and his daily walk. In my view, this is a WAY OF LIFE, not just an organization, and should be treated with the respect of such. Lodges that DO NOT TEACH AND FEED THE FLOCK what they should regarding KNOWLEDGE OF SELF and the PURSUIT OF TRUTH can lose a member fairly quickly. Eating a good meal, and talking about committee work, account balances, and the next fundraiser gets OLD and stale, without adding a good lecture or study material, or discussion/history lesson to the meeting.
A Man who is focused on GOD, FAMILY, and WORK, who joins Masonry in order to become a better, more knowledgable Man, oftentimes will remain a faithful member if he is motivated by what he sees in Brothers who: seek knowledge, become involved in the charitable work of the Lodge, TEACH THE PROPER INFORMATION IN THE PROPER MANNER, and are made to understand the proper priority and place Masonry should have in a Man's life. Masonry should always ENHANCE OR ADD TO, and never take away from a Man's dedication to his GOD, FAMILY, AND WORK.
The in-fighting, egotistical behavior, closed mindedness, and refusal to embrace new/progressive ideals, based on "this is the way it's always been done", can also run a GOOD Man away, if this is his first exposure to a Fraternal Order or Organization. If we maintain our focus on the GREATER GOOD FOR THE BETTERMENT OF THE ORDER, instead of GREATER GOOD FOR THE ELEVATION AND EXALTATION OF SELF, we will maintain good members. "Those who humble themselves will be exalted, and those who exalt THEMSELVES will be humbled"...........Just my five cents............Bro. Jones